Rachel was born on the 6th of April 1864 at the family home in Wensley Street, in the Wensley Fold district of Blackburn, Lancashire. She was the thirteenth of fourteen⁽¹⁾ children born to Henry Eddleston, a Carder in a Cotton Mill, and his wife Margaret (nee Hargreaves). She was baptised on the 12th of June at the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin in Blackburn (now Blackburn Cathedral).

When the April 1871 census was taken the family had moved to nearby Hazel Street. Rachel, aged seven, was living at number 22 with her parents and four siblings and was attending school.

In 1877, Rachel lost both of her parents. Her mother died in February and her father around Christmas time. The eldest of their children John, who was aged 35 and unmarried, took over as the head of the family. So by April 1881, Rachel was living with brothers John and William Henry and sister Alice, at 17 Ashworth Street. All four were working as Cotton Weavers.

On the 27th of September 1884, Rachel, a Cotton Weaver aged 20, married William Henry Jackson, an Iron Turner aged 21 years. The marriage took place at St Paul's Church, just of Montague Street in Blackburn. It was witnessed by Rachel's sister Alice and someone called 'Thomas Edward Lithbridge', about whom nothing can be found in the records.

William and Rachel set up home at 40 Edmundson Street, still in the Wensley Fold district, where their first child Alice was born on the 27th of May 1886. By April 1891, they had moved to 53 Henrietta Street, a few streets away. William Henry was now 'head of the household', two more children had been born and Rachel's eldest brother John and sister Alice (both still unmarried) were living with them. Rachel was still working as a Cotton Weaver. They were all still at that address when the 1901 census was taken but with two more children listed. Rachel had given birth to three children in that period but sadly a daughter named Elizabeth had died in infancy. Rachel had also given up weaving in order to look after the home and large family.

Rachel's brother John, who had been living with them, died in early 1902 at the age of 60. In April 1911, William and Rachel, their four sons and Rachel's sister Alice had moved a short distance to 151 Downham Street. Sadly, on the xxth of November 1913, Rachel's husband, William Henry, died of ????. His death probably forced yet another house move, again a short distance, to 82 Johnston Street, where Rachel remained until around 1940.

The outbreak of war in 1914 must have been a worrying time for Rachel, indeed for all parents with sons of an eligible age. Her son Isaiah was married and possibly in a reserved profession as a Millwright, so wasn't called up. Alfred was single and signed up on the 10th of December 1915 but wasn't sent to France until May 1918. William was also single and would have signed up around the same time, although no service records have been found for him⁽³⁾ (many were lost in a fire).

Rachel was still at the same address when the 1939 Register was taken. She was shown as Widowed and despite being 75 had begun to work again as a Cotton Weaver. Also in the house was her son Alfred, his wife and son.  In 1940 Rachel moved into the house of her son Isaiah, who was living at 15 Cromwell Terrace. She remained there until her death in February 1945.

Rachel was buried in Blackburn's Old Cemetery on the 7th of February 1945, in the same grave as her husband William Henry and her sister Alice.

Rachel and William Henry had six children;

Alice Jackson ...1886- ??
Isaiah Jackson ...1888-1977
Alfred Jackson ...1890-1960
William Jackson ...1893- ??
Elizabeth Jackson ...1897-1897
John Jackson ...1901- ??

Notes

(1) Of the fourteen children born to Henry and Margaret, only four, including Rachel, survived into adulthood.

(2) Although Rachel's family changed addresses quite often, most of their homes were in the Wensley Fold district of Blackburn. The streets they lived in have been highlighted on a 1910 map of the district and can be seen in the 'Miscellaneous' folder above.

(3) There is some evidence that William served during WW1. On his marriage certificate he states his occupation as 'Railway Engine Fireman (Ex-Army)'